Tangible
by Antigone2
Summary: The newly crowned King and Queen attempt to find time for themselves amid their new busy life. This is pretty much just "PWP" so don't expect much ok? ok.
1. Chapter 1

this was a prompt on tumblr like years ago and I never posted it here whoops

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><p>She saw evidence of Endymion everywhere she went: a recently organized desk, an open book by the bedside, a pair of wire-rim reading glasses placed delicately by a half-read diplomatic report.<p>

Then there was Makoto bragging about besting the newly-crowned king at hand to hand combat sparring, Minako mentioning that Endymion had recently helped her design her section of the royal gardens (since she knew what looked good, but not what would thrive), Rei catching Serenity in the hallway to clarify something Endymion had said to the priestess earlier that day.

Always his name was on the lips of others, his presence tangible throughout the palace. Serenity clung to this and resented it all the same. Because whenever she looked for Endymion, he was gone. She hadn't had any real _time_ with him in days, it seemed he was always making himself scarce around her.

Perhaps he didn't even want to see her so much anymore. Maybe he was sick of her. Maybe he preferred the varied company of her friends to Serenity's constant stress and worry over the creation of a new city-state.

Just as that thought sent a fissure through her heart, she heard Endymion's chuckle from one of the adjoining rooms. It was mingled with Ami's familiar lilt, and Serenity could tell by her joyful tone that her friend was discussing something technical.

Following their mingled voices, she ended up lingering shyly in the doorway of a large, windowless room - where Ami and Endymion were busily overlooking an enormous telegraphic display and intimidating console full of crystal buttons.

Serenity watched them talk eagerly in jargon she couldn't grasp and suddenly felt out of place and unwanted. She was just making to leave when Ami looked up and spotted her.

"Hello Serenity!" she waved, her eyes sparklingly cheerfully as she smiled. "Come and look at this!"

Endymion turned and breathed her name in a way that made Serenity clutch at the folds of skirt almost nervously. His eyes seemed to drink her in as he watched her step toward Ami on the other side of the display.

"This is our new security set-up!" Ami said excitedly, seemingly obvious to Endymion's distraction. Serenity peered at the unlabeled mass of crystal controls and cringed.

"I'm going to double check the receiver for the 12-A motion-detector unit," Ami said, walking out with a purposeful gait. "Endymion can show you how this works!"

Serenity was just about to sigh and say she could never understand how to use such a thing, when Endymion's hand closed over hers. "It's not that complicated," he said. One large hand guided hers to various main controls, explaining which would cover what section of the palace, what was an alert for intruders, what to touch to produce panoramic shots of the entire outside grounds. Serenity tried to concentrate, even when Endymion's other hand wound around her waist from behind.

"By the way, where have you _been_ lately?" he murmured, lips at her ear.

"Me?" she tried to whirl around at him to glare accusingly but his arms were now both around her, his hands sending her mind into static. "It's _you_ who has been missing lately," Serenity managed to say. She was even more proud of herself for being able to properly lace her words with annoyance. "No matter how much I looked, you've been avoiding me!"

"Quite the opposite, actually," he murmured, lips now at her neck. "I'd see your shoes haphazardly thrown in doorways, your perfume lingering in hallways, hear your laughter echo from across the courtyard but _you_ were always just out of my grasp."

This time he let her spin around to face him, at the same time he reached out and tapped a quick combination of colorful keys on the console before him. The room buzzed slightly and glimmered around them.

"What was that?" Serenity asked, eyes darting around her even as Endymion leaned in to kiss her.

"I just locked the door," he said.


	2. Chapter 2

**so pls note I changed the rating.**

The first chapter is totally just romance, fade-to-black, etc. so you can totally still read that and maintain dignity.

but this chapter is basically like smut ahoy and I'm going to blame this on tumblr. This is NOT MY FAULT. This is TUMBLR'S FAULT.

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><p>The marble wall was cold against Serenity's hands and she splayed them against the stone, pushing herself forward and closer to Endymion who had her pinned against the wall. Endymion's hand was pressed against her waist, his thumb brushing up against the underside of her breasts through the gauzy material of her dress. His other hand was under her skirt, warm against her thigh, his fingertips massaging up and across her skin.<p>

"Oh, I've missed you," he breathed against her ear, his breath tingling along her hair.

Serenity shut her eyes and swallowed a moan, nudging him forward with the crook of her leg, and fumbling her hand across his chest, grabbing at his shirt. It wouldn't be long before Ami returned, or someone else knocked on the door of the security room, and Serenity was acutely aware of how little time they had together like this. It seemed lately they always had such little time.

Breathlessly she kissed him, tangling her free hand in his hair, pulling herself closer still. His hand moved from her waist to her breast, tugging as best he could at the beaded shoulder strap of her gown, desperate for the feel of her skin. Her skirt bunched up around her waist and somewhat uncomfortably into her belly as Endymion pressed her further against the wall.

She rocked against him, and he shuddered, groaned, her name on his lips, "Usako..." He said it achingly, desperately ... reverently.

It reverbarated in her ear the same way it had when she first heard him moan her name like that - years and years ago on a rooftop after a battle. His lips on hers, rushed, bruising, his hands on her waist, in her hair. Clumsy, fumbling, teenage. "Usako," he had moaned, and for the first time she'd felt his erection pressing against her belly, the heat of his hands, the shake of his voice, the desire flickering along his body. For a moment she'd seen stars, before he pulled back, shaking, apologetic, back under control. But, oh, that moment could never be taken away from her. Afterward in the dark of her room, running her fingers along her belly, she'd remember his voice in her ear, her name said with such aching desire that it made her breathless.

It was the same way he murmured her name during their honeymoon, the few glorious, fleeting days when they could be alone with each other, only each other, and learn with delight all the different ways to love.

And now, now, it seemed maybe all they would or could have were these fleeting moments, locked rooms and stifled cries, bitten lips and wrinkled dresses.

Her hand worked its way down to his belt, tugging desperately at the barrier between them, moaning into his mouth, "now, now, oh please, I need-" then they were both fumbling with the belt buckle, there was the sound of a zipper opening and then he was inside her and Serenity bit her lip against her cries: his name, always him, again and again and again.

Serenity thought of what a sight they would make if anyone could see them behind the locked door. The esteemed King and Queen of Crystal Tokyo, his pants around his ankles, jacket on the floor, her dress hiked up and half pulled off, pressed together against the wall near the most advanced piece of security technology in the entire city state, the machine's humming mingling with their heavy breathing and shallow gasps.

The knock on the door didn't come from Ami, who sensitively had decided to forgo any further security testing that day after she saw the way Endymion and Serenity had looked at each other when she left. Instead, it was Minako on the other side, asking if Serenity were in there and if so, did she remember she had a meeting in five minutes and then had to get ready for a formal dinner with visiting dignitaries.

And then all passion was lost in a flurry of redressing, fixing hair, affixing proper appearances firmly, depressingly, back into place.

No sooner was the door unlocked for Minako, then Luna came padding in with a request for Endymion to oversee the final construction of the on-sight school.

The king and queen parted with a chaste and proper peck on the lips, Endymion following Luna out to the grounds, Minako readying to accompany Serenity to the meeting.

Minako, who was not nearly so oblivious as Luna, couldn't hide a knowing smirk as they left. But she held back any teasing comments when she noticed the forlorn look in her friend's eyes.

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><p>ok so like maybe it's not like <em>smut<em> smut but I used the word "erection" so I think it counts.


	3. Chapter 3

So this chapter has zero sexings so if you are a decent human being you can read this part. And if you aren't you can too because we all know you do what you want.

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><p>The dress was lovely. Layers of white silk and gauze floating from the hanger to the ground, sparkling crystals and gems winking out from delicate handwoven embroidery clinching at the waist and sleeves. It was one of Serenity's favorites. But now she looked at it like it was made of thorns.<p>

"I can't," she said, out loud. The breeze through the slightly open balcony in her chambers was the only answer. She was alone. She was tired. She was so. so. done.

It was meeting after meeting, formal event following formal ball following formal dinner following negotiations. It was construction oversight and treaties and discussions and training and language studies and boring after frustrating after exhausting. She hardly saw her friends outside of brief conversations while rushing through hallways.

She hardly ever saw her husband expect for public appearances and maybe a kiss goodnight if they both happened to be sleeping at the same time, which didn't seem to happen all that often anymore, either.

This wasn't a marriage. This wasn't a _life._

Serenity screamed and stamped her foot - indulging in a mini temper tantrum when no one could see. "I'm so darn sick of this!" She picked up the dress and flung it across the room where it landed with a satisfying clunk against her bedpost, before shimmering down the floor in a wave of delicate fabric. That felt so good that she kicked her vanity chair, too, but instead of falling it just made her yelp and grab her foot.

There was a soft knock and the door from the hallway opened.

"Hey, are you rea-" Minako's voice trailed off as she took in Serenity's appearance.

The queen turned on her bare feet and crossed her arms, daring her friend to say anything. Minako took the dare.

"Speaking as an expert in diplomacy, your highness, I will say I believe that your negligee would be considered a bit too 'underdressed' for this sort of formal affair."

Serenity glared.

"I mean," Minako walked to Serenity's dress and picked it up off the floor in one fluid movement. "Not to say it wouldn't spice things up. These sort of dinners are soooooo boring. And this is, what, the third one this week? Ugh, I am d-o-n-e, ya know what I mean?" She shoved the dress into Serenity's arms, and smiled showing all her teeth. "If I have to, you have to. Get dressed and get going."

"Waaaah," Serenity mumbled under her breath. Then she frowned at her toes, pursed her lips and side eyed her friend who was looking at her with sudden suspicion.

"I'm sick," Serenity said suddenly, dropping the dress on the floor again and kicking it.

"What?"

"Sick. Reeeaaaally not feeling well."

Minako turned with one hand on her hip. "Are you kidding me?"

"Fever. Chills. Aches. Pains. Nausea!" Serenity hopped into bed and pulled the blankets up to her chin. "Minako, if you make me eat beside that boring ambassador I may throw up right on his lap."

Minako looked at her, deadpan.

"Nope."

"Yes! Minako I am so ill! Stay away or you'll catch it." She threw in some rather convincing - if she did say so herself - coughs for good measure. She buried her head in the blankets.

After a few minutes of silence, Serenity peaked over the covers and into the empty room.

"Phew." She was just about to relax when the door opened again and Minako marched in with Rei in tow, dressed to the nines in a lovely gown, official sash in place.

Oh dammit.

"Sick my foot," Rei said, flatly.

Serenity coughed delicately into her hands. Then gave a small "a-choo" for good measure. "So sick, Rei."

"Should we call Ami?" Rei asked, all of a sudden brimming with mock-concern.

"No, no, no, no need to bother her," Serenity waved her hand, "I mean, she's so busy what with setting up the crystal barrier and what not..."

"Serenity I swear to g-" Rei was interrupted by the door once more.

"Is everyone ready?" Endymion was also decked out in formal wear, even moreso than the girls due to his station. His tuxedo had embroidery that was meant to match Serenity's dress, the one currently crumbled in a heap on the floor in front of the dresser.

"Your wife is ditching us," Rei said, shaking her head. "Seems she's 'sick'."

Serenity felt horrible at the disappointed look in Endymion's eyes. These formal things were tough, but it was the only time they had together lately. Holding hands under the table or sharing an amused look, even sometimes working in a dance or two, that made it bearable.

"Sorry to abandon you," she said softly, bunching the blanket in her hands. "But I just- can't. Not tonight."

He sighed and she forced himself to meet his eyes. Her heart twisted a little inside her chest when he gave her a sympathetic smile.

His gloved hand brushed against Serenity's brow and she shut her eyes against the sudden burning of tears.

Endymion turned toward the other girls. "We can cover for her, right Rei?" he said pointedly.

"I guess," Rei said with a huff that was mostly for show. "This _one time_."

"One time indeed," Endymion said, giving a slight tug Serenity's hair. "Bye odango atama," he whispered in her ear, brushing his lips quickly against her cheek before following the girls out of the room.

"You owe us!" Minako called over her shoulder.

When the door closed behind them Serenity tried to feel happy but instead she felt sadder than ever.

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><p>The night was dragging. Endymion was just trying to very surreptitiously check his pocket watch when Rei saddled up to him and slapped his arm. "It's been forty-five minutes," she said. "They will serve dinner in about half an hour."<p>

"I'm not very hungry," he answered and Rei looked at him seriously for a moment.

"Don't even think about it," she said.

"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about," he said smoothly, nodding to an imagined acquaintance across the room.

"Uh-huh." Rei kept a pleasant look on her face for benefit of the guests but her teeth were clenching.

"But she looked so sad."

"No." Rei smiled beatifically at the visiting ambassador as he walked by.

"And she's all alone in that big room just bored and lonely-"

"Don't you dare." Rei shook her head, smile starting to look strained.

"You know, Rei, I think I'm not feeling so well either," Endymion put a hand to his head and Rei finally dropped the act and turned to face him.

"Your most esteemed highness," she said, looking him dead in the eye, "if you so much as dare to walk out of this room to fake sick and leave me and Minako here to cover for you I swear to the Silver Crystal I will never forgive you and will make you pay dearly every minute of every hour of every day you are alive on this earth do you understand me?"

Endymion paused for a moment, considering. Then he handed his champagne class to Rei and swiftly nodded. "Worth it," he said quickly. Then turned and left to make his excuses to the more important guests.

"I will kill him," Rei said to Minako later, "Crystal Tokyo will no longer have a king because he's dead."

"Rei, could you try not to threaten assassination in public?" Minako responded.

"But he's supposed to be the _responsible_ one!" Rei threw her hands up even as Minako tried to shush her.

"At least it's only this one time, right?"

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><p>"What is it?" Serenity asked, scrambling out of bed when Endymion opened the door with a serious expression on his face. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?" He just shook his head without expression. Serenity felt nervous. "Whatever it is... is Rei gonna kill me?"<p>

"Yes, probably," he said, a boyish grin breaking through despite himself. "But only after she kills me first."

"Wha-"

He put a hand to his head, dramatically. "It appears the mystery illness may be contagious." Serenity gasped, putting her hands to her mouth in delight. "I think I too shall have to take - woah-" He stumbled back against the wall as Serenity launched herself into his arms, toppling over a lamp and dozens of little make up bottles along the vanity along the way. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and openly squealed with happiness, kicking her legs into the air as Endymion struggled to regain his balance.

"I can't believe it! You are so terrible, everyone is going to be so mad at you!"

"Wait, at me?" Endymion was incredulous, "What about you?" He stood and let Serenity's feet lower to the floor.

"Oh they expect this sort of thing from me!" she giggled.

"You have really and truly ruined me, my dear," he sighed, putting his forehead to hers. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"

"Well," Serenity slowly lifted his hand and gently unbuttoned his glove, pulling it off finger by finger. She bit her lip and smiled mischievously up at him. "I have some ideas."


	4. Chapter 4

halfway through writing this the neighborhood kids came by caroling. i'm not even fucking kidding. what is my life.

anyway here ya go last part:

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><p>"You have really and truly ruined me, my dear," he sighed, putting his forehead to hers. "Whatever am I going to do with you?"<p>

"Well," Serenity slowly lifted his hand and gently unbuttoned his glove, pulling it off finger by finger. She bit her lip and smiled mischievously up at him. "I have some ideas." Then she stopped and froze as her stomach rumbled, loudly.

"Do any of those ideas have to do with getting food?" he was trying not to laugh, but not doing the best job of it.

Serenity bit her lip and look abashed, her hair falling in front of her face. "I'm famished!" she admitted, "I haven't eaten since lunch."

"That's a long time even for a _normal_ person," Endymion said, earning him a smack on the arm.

"Well, if her majesty is hungry, we must get her sustenance," he said, seriously. "The fate of the very universe depends on it."

"But, Mamo-chan," she pushed her hair back, her face still alight despite her near-starved condition, "we are supposed to be_ sick. _If anyone sees us, we'll be found out!"

"Hmm," he mused, "we should be able to make it to the library without being seen - I may have the answer to our problem."

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><p>"This is amazing!" Serenity said, following Endymion down a narrow hallway behind a hidden door in a bookcase. "Scary," she said, stumbling in the dark and clutching his back, "but amazing." She was wearing his formal jacket over her nightdress, slippers on her feet. Not the most regal of sights, but Endymion was right - they had been able to make it to the library without being seen by anyone.<p>

"Ami personally thought the trick bookcase entrance was horribly cliche," Endymion was saying, "and I have to admit she was right, but I do have a flare the dramatic. Plus, it is easy to make and remember."

"So this is part the security set up you guys made?"

"Are making, yes," He answered, "this tunnel will eventually lead into a emergency bunker with beds, water, communication devices, and -"

"Food!" she finished, her eyes already widening with realization.

"It's not fully stocked yet, it will be nonperishable canned stuff of zombie movies, but right now we've just put in a temporary stash of-"

"CHOCOLATE!" She recognized it even in the shadowy light cast by the flashlight Endymion was holding. Serenity ran forward and grabbed handfuls of the candy bars. "Here, take some back with you," she said, shoving some into Endymion's pockets and some into the pockets of his jacket she was wearing, giggling like a child sneaking candy before dinner.

"You are brilliant!"

"This may not be the most nutritious dinner," Endymion said, "and Ami is going to be annoyed when I explain why we needed to replenish supplies but we already have two senshi mad at us, why not three?"

"We need to be sure to stay on Makoto's good side, though, she bakes," Serenity said through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Let's head back now," Endymion put an arm around his wife, pulling her close. "It's dark in here and I think there might be spiders." He wiggled his fingers on her neck and she shrieked, slapping at him and running back down the secret hallway as he chased her, their laughter echoing through the dark.

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><p>Half an hour later, Serenity was seated halfway down the bed, candy wrappers were littered around her and a pillow on her lap.<p>

"Okay, I have one, I have one!" she said, continuing their game. "What if... what if you could have chocolate cake every day for breakfast for the rest of your life but you had to have carrots for your birthday?"

"Serenity."

"What what?"

"You are Queen of the World. You can technically have chocolate cake for breakfast every day for the rest of your life, no need for carrots on your birthday."

"Mamo-chaaaaaannnn," she whined, "you are taking all the fun out of this game!"

"I can't help it if I'm logical."

Endymion was seated next to her on the bed, his legs out and crossed at the ankle, a neat pile of candy wrappers placed carefully off to one side. Still in his formal outfit, sans the jacket, he looked as put together as she looked disheveled. It was annoying. She hit him with a pillow.

"What was that for-"

And again.

"Sere-"

And again.

"I'm trying" bop "to mess up" bop "your hair at least a _little_."

He grabbed her wrists and pinned her down, even as she giggled and protested. "Let me up, Endy, Mamo-chan, I need my hands to hit you with the pillow! Well, then, fine!" Serenity wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of her with an "oof!"

He kissed her, greedily, hungrily and she responded, wriggling her hands free to run through his hair, pull off his jacket and work on unbuttoning his shirt. Her lips danced along his collarbone, down his chest with each button, and she smiled to feel him shudder beneath her touch. She deftly worked his belt and pants buckle and soon he was as 'underdressed' as she was. "Now you fit the dress code," she whispered to him, running her hands down his stomach. "See toldya I needed my hands."

He grabbed her and pulled her toward him and she looked right into his eyes. "Tonight will be over soon, and then it's back to before," she said, unable to help the sadness creeping into her voice. He shook his head swiftly and pressed his lips to hers before she could dwell too long on their fleeting freedom.

"Then let's make it last," he whispered into her mouth.

She sighed as he traced patterns of love into her skin, relishing how slow he could take it, how much time he had to make her sigh, moan, grasp at his hair and murmur his name. He brushed his lips along her lower belly, then down, down, down, reveling in her gasps and sighs. With his hands massaging into her thighs and bottom, and his tongue and lips sending fiery coils of pleasure though her, Serenity thought she might drown in desire.

This may not have been exactly the idyllic white-picket-fence married life she'd imagined as a schoolgirl, but moments like this, stolen as they were, sparkling and smoldering underneath the day to day - this was more than she could ever want.

Endymion pulled back and looked at her flushed face and bright eyes. He had always loved this - making her desperate, making her twist and moan and sigh and yearn, giving her just enough to make her want more, more of him, more always. _Let her see, for one moment, what she does to me every second of every day._

"What are you doing?" she said, breathless, pulling on his arms, his hands, "Why are you stopping?"

"My love," he whispered to her ear, "we have all night. Let's make it worth it."

And they did.

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><p>Later, half-dozing in his arms as the sky lightened outside, Serenity sighed. "I think back in our past lives the morning used to make us sad, too," she said out loud.<p>

Endymion stirred beside her and sat up on his elbows, taking in her forlorn expression. "Back then we could never have dreamed we'd end up as lucky as we are now," he said. "Don't forget," he took her left hand in his, linking their fingers, wedding rings winking in the morning light. "We still have each other. Forever."

"I love you so much, Endymion. Mamo-chan," she said, eyes filling with tears.

"I love you, too." It wasn't something he said much, out loud, and she smiled to hear it, snuggling down into his arms.

"Hey, Mamo-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's play sick again sometime."

"Usako."

"C'mon."

"No. We've made it very clear to everyone that this was a one time thing and I am absolutely going to keep my word."

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><p>Years and years later:<p>

"Again?!" Sailor Mars said incredulously.

"Again." Sailor Venus answered, shaking her head.

"I'm going to kill them," Sailor Mars responded. "This time I am one hundred and ten percent going to kill them."

"Get in line," Sailor Jupiter quipped, slipping her sash over her shoulder.

"Next time I'm calling in 'sick'." Sailor Venus said, "Maybe with that smoking hot new judo instructor who is training the princess."

Mars smirked and Mercury blushed, Jupiter punched Venus lightly in the arm. "Okay, okay, we get it, we get it."

Their laughter echoed up the crystal staircase as the sun was setting in the utopian sky.

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><p>fin<p> 


End file.
